Proposed California Ballot Measure Could Spark Court Challenges to Teacher Protections

[mahatmakanejeeves]

WSJ NEWS EXCLUSIVE | EDUCATION

Proposed California Ballot Measure Could Spark Court Challenges to Teacher Protections

Education-reform advocates propose constitutional right to a quality education in what may become a costly fight with teachers unions

By Christine Mai-Duc
https://twitter.com/cmaiduc
[e-mail]
Updated Oct. 7, 2021 2:57 pm ET

Education reform advocates have proposed a ballot initiative in California that could allow them to use the courts to challenge teacher-tenure laws and other policies they believe are harming public school students.

Similar ballot measures were proposed last year in Minnesota and earlier this year in New Mexico. As with the California proposal, they would put children’s right to a quality public education in state constitutions.

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[tymorial]

1. Unqualified teachers should always be removed.

Tenure ought be irrelevant if a teacher is not maintaining his or her professional development requirements.

So long as that is the only reason why teachers are removed. It's far cheaper to remove teachers with decades experience in favor of recent graduates who will start at a far lower step and also have nothing vested in retirement pensions. Removing a teacher when they haven't fully vested or at all is tantalizing. Where unions are strong states extend the requirements so that teachers must work 40 years to be fully vested at even 75% No graduate is working 40 years, I am here to tell you. It's never going to happen and it's well known.

This is exactly why I graduated with an education degree but never followed through with getting a job as a music teacher. I knew my job would constantly be at risk and in such a small state where jobs are scarce, I risked working for 25 years and come away with nothing.

So yeah, tenure reform is awesome. It's necessary. It's not just about quality of education.

I know this won't be popular. Understand I come from a family of teachers (both parents, two aunts, one uncle, two first cousins, and numerous friends. That doesn't include my first wife's family (we are still close). These people are across 12 states.